Chapter 199: The Apprentice
“Indeed, there’s no mistaking it. This is a creation of Luciel. The dagger said to be made by Shu-san is remarkably similar to Luciel’s work.”
Even when Paula reiterated this, I still couldn’t quite grasp it.
“No, I mean, my master is Welter, and he’s not the same as Luciel, you know?”
“Well, there are rumors that ‘Luciel’ isn’t even his real name, so that’s not really the issue here.”
The master craftsman next to us nodded in agreement. But still, when I appraised the dagger, it clearly showed the creator’s name… What should I do about this?
“Um, do you happen to have any other works by Luciel here?”
Oh, nice one, Rio. If there are others, I can find out the creator through appraisal. It would be truly shocking if my master’s name appeared on one of them. But then again, my master has lived for so long. It’s not impossible that weapons he made could be out in the world, hailed as the work of a master artisan…
“…………”
I sensed the master craftsman moving his lips again, but upon hearing this, Paula turned to him with a surprised expression.
“Wait!? You have some!?”
It seemed Paula was unaware, but it appeared that there were indeed other works by Luciel in this workshop.
“I want to see them too!”
Nodding vigorously, the master craftsman left the room.
“Ah, can I also take a look at Shu-san’s dagger?”
I returned a nod to Paula, who had completely forgotten her role as translator, and handed her the two daggers.
“Thank you!”
With a delighted expression, Paula began to examine them. Even though she insisted it wasn’t the case, I decided not to dwell on it. I could find out the truth by appraising the works here.
After a while, the master craftsman returned, holding a rugged one-handed sword. It had no extravagant decorations and appeared purely practical, making a strong impression at first glance.
He silently offered it to me, so I accepted it and immediately began the appraisal.
＝＝＝＝＝
Type: Weapon (One-Handed Sword)
Name: Silver Edge
Description: A double-edged one-handed sword forged from Taur Steel.
It contains Mithril in its core, allowing for excellent magic conductivity.
Sturdy in construction, it won’t break easily even when handled roughly.
Quality: A
Enchantment: Self-Repair
Creator: Luciel
＝＝＝＝＝
“Silver Edge?”
I couldn’t help but voice the name that came to mind, and both the master craftsman and Paula reacted with surprise. It’s only natural for a master artisan’s work to have a name attached to it. Still, I’m relieved to confirm that my master and Luciel are not the same person.
“The appraisal shows the creator is ‘Luciel.’ He’s definitely a different person from our master.”
“「……！？」”
Ignoring the wide-eyed expressions of the two, I drew the blade from its scabbard. The silver blade gleamed brilliantly in the air. When I lightly channeled my Magic Power into it, I felt a familiar sensation akin to my master’s and my own crafting methods.
Returning the sword to its scabbard, I handed it to Rio. She was likely confirming it just like I had. Her expression shifted slightly to one of surprise.
“So, it had appraisal capabilities…?”
“……!?”
“I thought Shu’s master was amazing, but I guess he really is a different person…”
Ivan looked relieved, but I couldn’t shake the strange feeling that arose when I thought of my rough-around-the-edges master being called a ‘master artisan.’
“But, just like this dagger, the methods used in Luciel’s works are incredibly similar!?”
As Paula passionately argued, it was true that the crafting method of Silver Edge bore similarities. The formation through Earth Magic and the forging in a furnace are completely different processes. However, understanding the distribution of materials in the finished product could certainly aid in Earth Magic formation.
“……！！”
The master craftsman was gesturing animatedly, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.
“Among blacksmiths, no one can figure out the crafting method, and Luciel’s works are said to be legendary!”
“No, no…”
“That’s a bit much…”
The enthusiasm of the two craftsmen left us taken aback. After all, it’s just a matter of forming it a bit with Earth Magic, right? Sure, it uses some Magic Power… But wait, that could be the reason why no one else attempts it. Even S Rank Adventurer Linford had only barely reached five digits in some of his Status. There’s also the possibility that skills other than Earth Magic are required. If that’s the case, it might explain why only we are using the methods of the master artisan Luciel.
“…………！！”
“Please, tell us your crafting methods! We beg you!”
The two of them were practically bowing down in desperation, and even Phonia, who had been playing in the corner, looked uneasy.
“That uncle and that big sister are scary…”
Even Phonia, who had faced monsters larger than Ivan, seemed to have her fears.
“Alright! I understand! So both of you, please calm down!”
I raised my hands in front of me to soothe them. This unexpected turn of events didn’t seem so bad after all. At this rate, I might even get to see the properly made Adamantite katana that Ruigentz crafted instead of a failure.
“R-Really!?”
I nodded in response to Paula’s overwhelmed voice. While I was met with the hopeful gaze of the still incomprehensible master craftsman, I began to think about how to steer the conversation moving forward.